Army looking for M4/M16 replacement

[phillykev]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...47-503544.html

In a written statement, the Army said it hopes to come up with a weapon with "greater degrees of accuracy, reliability, durability and maintainability."


Manufacturers will submit designs and go through competitive testing before the final selection is made. New rifles won't go out to soldiers on the front lines for at least three years.

WSJ article yeserday said they were having an "Industry Day" for small arms manufacturers, I believe in April, where they will go over the requirements with a plan for a 2 year period of evaluation before deciding on the new standard rifle for the Army.

That article also implied that a fire fight in Afghanistan where multiple US soldiers were killed demonstrated numerous reliability problems with the M4 in the dry/dusty conditions leading to their deaths.

Seems to me, there's already a proven replacement out there, the AK platform. Cheaper and more reliable. Why not? Just because it's the weapon of "the enemy"?

[7998]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_1...47-503544.html



WSJ article yeserday said they were having an "Industry Day" for small arms manufacturers, I believe in April, where they will go over the requirements with a plan for a 2 year period of evaluation before deciding on the new standard rifle for the Army.

That article also implied that a fire fight in Afghanistan where multiple US soldiers were killed demonstrated numerous reliability problems with the M4 in the dry/dusty conditions leading to their deaths.

Seems to me, there's already a proven replacement out there, the AK platform. Cheaper and more reliable. Why not? Just because it's the weapon of "the enemy"?

They said they were looking for more accuracy not less. To qualify that let me say I have a few AK's and no AR's.

My pick is M-14

[rgb03]

i just read an article in the march issue of guns and ammo that says the army will be upgrading all 500,000 of there
m4s over the next 4 to 5 years. the upgrades will make them a m4a1 with a heavy barrel, ambi saftey, and full auto instead of the three round burst.

[Brick]

The external configuration and ergonomics of the M16 family isn't bad. I have never appreciated the idea of direct impingement for the op system though, since it dumps the gas into the breech and chamber. I also dislike some of the smaller parts.

So lets keep the good parts and use an operating rod system to keep the carbon and junk out the chamber area. Go back to a 20" heavy barrel to improve the muzzle velocity and adopt a caliber that will have more range. Something around a 7mm at about 3000 fps with a 140 to 160 gr bullet.

[rjmst1]

So lets keep the good parts and use an operating rod system to keep the carbon and junk out the chamber area. Go back to a 20" heavy barrel to improve the muzzle velocity and adopt a caliber that will have more range. Something around a 7mm at about 3000 fps with a 140 to 160 gr bullet.

I want one!

[BandanaBandit1]

The Garand won us a World War...why not use that? 30-06>.223 IMO.

If they want more accuracy then that with more rounds and full auto options then go to the M14.

Problem SOLVED.

[victory]

So lets keep the good parts and use an operating rod system to keep the carbon and junk out the chamber area. Go back to a 20" heavy barrel to improve the muzzle velocity and adopt a caliber that will have more range. Something around a 7mm at about 3000 fps with a 140 to 160 gr bullet.

Skip the piston drive and just give the guns the failzero treatment.

Also, I think if your were in the business of hauling all this shit around killing people, you'd veto the heavy barrel.

[Brick]

Skip the piston drive and just give the guns the failzero treatment.

Also, I think if your were in the business of hauling all this shit around killing people, you'd veto the heavy barrel.

Then you would think wrong. I spent 28 years in the business of hauling shit like that around. Only I started with an M14. I wasn't at all impressed with the M16's 450m effective range when I could see a click or more on the Saudi & Iraqi desert, the 750 m effective range of the M14 made a lot more sense to me.

The only thing I like about the M16 system is the 210 round basic load of ammo. Get rid of some of the bs the guys have to carry & even up the difference in weight for rifle and ammo.

[harold63]

i just read an article in the march issue of guns and ammo that says the army will be upgrading all 500,000 of there
m4s over the next 4 to 5 years. the upgrades will make them a m4a1 with a heavy barrel, ambi saftey, and full auto instead of the three round burst.

The M4A1 with a way for the rifle to run cooler would definitely help our men in uniform. We know the training is there, just need a more efficient, sturdy barrel rifle, and we need more of our soldiers to have access to it, rather than just the special ops guys. TMO.

[RandomTask]

I heard the latest thing is some $30,000 gun that shoots around corners.